XN000022-1974-11-14 — Page 14

13.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1974

PUBLIC CO-OPERATION VITAL IN FIGHT AGAINST CRIME

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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID TODAY THAT A REDUCED LEVEL OF CRIME COULD BEST BE ACHIEVED BY MORE PUBLIC CO-OPERATION AND ASSISTANCE.

HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS NO COMPLACENCY IN THE POLICE OR IN THE GOVERNMENT OVER THE SERIOUS STATE OF CRIME.

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND HIS OFFICERS, MR. DAVIES SAID, WOULD DO ALL THEY COULD TO ENSURE THAT THE FORCE WAS GEARED TO MEET THE THREATS TO THE PUBLIC AND THE DEMAND MADE UPON IT.

BUT HE REITERATED THAT THEY HAD TO RELY HEAVILY UPON THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC TO BRING INCIDENTS TO NOTICE, TO REPORT CRIME AND TO UPHOLD THE FORCE OF LAW AND ORDER.

OUTLINING SOME OF THE WORK OF THE POLICE FORCE IN ITS CONTINUING EFFORT TO FIGHT CRIME, HE SAID THAT IN THE KOWLOON DISTRICT, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF CRIME WAS COMMITTED, THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT WAS RECONSTRUCTED IN JULY,

+THE AIM OF THE REORGANISATION HAS BEEN TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN THE COLLATING OF CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF CRIME,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.

THE RE-ORGANISATION INVOLVES, AT BOTH DISTRICT AND DIVISIONAL LEVEL, THE PROVISION OF MORE INVESTIGATION TEAMS, TO UNDERTAKE INVESTIGATION OF SERIOUS OR COMPLEX CRIMES,

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF C.I.D. PATROL AND SUPPORT SQUADS FOR CRIME PREVENTION ACTION, MORE EFFICIENT METHODS OF COLLECTION, COLLATION, ASSESSMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE.

HE SAID: THOUGH IT IS TOO EARLY TO ASSESS RESULTS. THE RESTRUCTURING IS ALREADY SEEN TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENTS.+

ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, MR. DAVIES SAID GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE WITH THE PLANNING OF THE BEAT RADIO SCHEME.

THE PLAN, HE ADDED, ENVISAGED THAT EVERY POLICEMAN ON THE BEAT SHOULD HAVE A PERSONAL RADIO THUS FORMING A VITAL LINK IN THE FORCE'S COMMUNICATIONS AND CRIME FIGHTING CAPACITY.

AS IT IS EXPECTED TO BE A MAJOR OPERATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH MR. DAVIES SAID, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IS GIVING PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS SCHEME VERY HIGH PRIORITY.+

/HE STRESSED .............